If the world can agree on one thing, it’s that 2020 was not our best year on record. For former Chicagoan Jaimie Branch, it should’ve been a time of triumph for her current quartet, Fly or Die. The group were riding the wave of a splendid sophomore LP, where Branch added vocals with tragically topical […]
Tag: Jason Ajemian
Posted inMusic
Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die band celebrates a new record that nixes the sophomore jinx
Jaimie Branch’s 2017 debut LP, Fly or Die, heralded the arrival of an already mature talent. While it wasn’t a secret that she’s a superb trumpeter, it was her chops as a composer and bandleader that made the record stand out. She devised bold themes and galvanic grooves that inspired a band of elder musicians, […]
Posted inMusic
Chicago saxophonist Dave Rempis builds an intentional community in jazz
Dave Rempis organizes concerts, mentors young musicians, and connects players from across the States and abroad—modeling the commitment and generosity that keep the jazz scene viable.
Posted inMusic
Trumpeter Jaimie Branch finally spreads her wings
More than 12 years after her blazing debut on the Chicago jazz scene, trumpeter Jaimie Branch releases Fly or Die, her first album as a bandleader.
Posted inBlogs
Matt Bauder’s ever-evolving sound
The onetime Chicagoan achieves his most profound and beautiful work yet with his quintet Day in Pictures.
Posted inBlogs
The HighLife Wrap Up Their Tour Tonight at Skylark
The new album from Jason Ajemian’s HighLife doesn’t stick to one style any more consistently than the band does live.
Posted inBlogs
“Five Years” of Jazz at Heaven Gallery
Protest Jazz, the weekly series at Heaven Gallery, celebrates its fifth anniversary—sort of.
Posted inBlogs
Nori Tanaka’s back in town
Great Japanese drummer Nori Tanaka is back in Chicago, albeit only briefly.
Posted inMusic
Short Takes on New Releases
A Horace Silver treasure unearthed, Shelby Lynne does Dusty, and Matt Bauder’s weird love letter to doo-wop and Brian Wilson.
Posted inMusic
A Cushicle
Bands with regular engagements are easy to take for granted–until I saw A Cushicle again last month, I’d been telling myself “I’ll just catch them next week” for more than a year. But such engagements are perfect for jazz: the musicians get the time and space to develop a deep rapport. This trio of guitarist […]